Mailing pieces



' Oct. 20, 1959 JJH. MAIISAH 2,909,313

" MAILING PIECES Filed Aug. 24, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet-l F I Fi .3. 7 lg I 2 9 23am INVENTOR. Jay H. Muish BY work.

United States Patent MAILING PIECES Jay H. Maish, Marion, Ohio, assignor to The Jay H. Maish Company, Marion, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application August 24, 1955, Serial No. 530,268

3 Claims. (Cl. 229--92.8)

This invention relates to mailing pieces with reply. cards removably incorporated therein. More particularly, this invention pertains to such new mailing pieces which may readilybe cut, folded and completed from paperstock and in which a reply card is positioned for ready removal therefrom by the recipient of the mailing piece itself.

A variety of different kinds of mailing devices have heretofore been made, some of them with cards therein for retention or return. Such prior devices in many cases have been bulky or have presented difficulty in the fabrication or in the handling thereof either by the sender, addressee or both. In other cases, 'undue amounts of paper have had to be used and, in some situations, the folding required necessitated relatively expensive hand- In still other devices, any card that might be enclosed with the primary communication has either tended to move out of place or the removal thereof from such primary communication has been relatively difiicult or impossible unless the main mailing item were destroyed.

' Such difliculty with priordevices has been overcome folding operations may be employed. In addition, a reply or return card is readily includable in such new mailing pieces and as readily removable by the addressee of the mailing piece. Other objects and advantages of this invention will be apparent from the following description and from the accompanying illustrative drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is one embodiment of my mailing piece invention in'which side removal of an accompanying card is provided for;

Figure 2 is a view of the back of the embodiment of Figure 1 taken before the folding thereof but after a paper blank for the mailing piece ha-s'been die cut and has had adhesive applied thereto;

Figure 3 is a front view of a further mailing piece embodiment of my invention in which the removal of an enclosed card may take place to either'side of the mailing p1ece; a

' Figure 4 is a still further embodiment of one of my new mailing pieces utilizing complete thumb cut-outs in lieu of margin cut-outs;

Figure 5 is a perspective view of a double leaf mailing piece embodiment of my invention;

Figure 6 is a top removal embodiment of my new mailing piece invention; and

Figure 7 is a view of the embodiment of Figure 6 in the course of one fabrication thereof.

Referring to Figures 1 and 2, a rectangular sheet 10 of paper which may be termed a paper blank may be provided without any cut-out portion thereon and may be a standard or other size sheet of paper. Such a sheet in the course of the making of a new mailing piece as illustrated in Figlres 1 and 2 may then be die cut to provide a margin cut-out 12' inwardly from dotted edge I 2,909,313 Patented Oct. 20, 1959 portion -11 and a window cut-out 13. Cut-out 13 is at'an appropriate location for address purposes. Sheets 10 with cut-out portions 12 and 13 may be placed in a machine for the application'of adhesive thereto in L- shaped areas 14 and 15 respectively. With some adhesives, only one L-shaped area of adhesive needs to be applied. The opposite ends 16 and 17 respectively of the adhesive areas are preferably separated. Thereupon, folding of sheet '10, which may well be done in the same machine, along a transverse line 18' will move flap 19 through the dotted line position shown in Figure 1 to a flat position behind window 13. When so folded,

flap 19 will be against the back of top portion 20 extend;

ing from fold line 18 downwardly a distance equal to the height of flap 19, in the illustrated embodiment, margin cut-out 112 will be in both portions 19 and 20 and adhesive area 14 will register with and overlay adhesive area 15. The adhesive will fasten flap 19 to the back of the remainder of sheet 10 in the L-shaped bonded area 21 shown in Figure 1 forming a pocket. The fold immediately along fold line 18 will be without adhesive thereby facilitating such folding with less likelihood of rubbing adhesive off on the folding machinery.

When the fabrication of the embodiment of Figure l is completed as shown, a card 22 which may be of stiffer material like cardboard will when in place in the pocket extend into the margin cut-out 12 for ready grasping on both sides and removal by the addressee. That card 22 may either be placed in the pocket after such folding.

when the main mailing piece is complete or it may be positioned there, as will be understood by those to whom this invention is described, in the course of folding of the Figure ,1 embodiment along fold line 18 and held in its relative mailing position while the adhesive in. area 21 sets. 22 and its projection to the side of the main mailing piece 23 a distance equal to the width of the margin cut-out 12 will enable any addressee thereupon to readily separate card 22 from the main mailing piece 23 which may have an advertising message or other writing 24 thereon. Card 22 in lieu of being an advertising or reply card may be a retention card adverted in the text 24.

The presence of -window 13 in portion 20 of main mailing piece 23 enables the addressees name and address to be on card 22 as shown at 25 and show through window cut-out 13 when the mailing piece is complete with card 22 and ready for mailing with card 22 therein as shown in Figure 1. Since such complete mailing pieces 2322 are often mailed in envelopes using a transparent address window which would be in registry with window 13, a folding of main mailing piece 23 between top portion 20 and the bottom of 23 behind window 13 and flap 19, will enable the addressee and address at 25 on card 22 to serve also as the name and address on the mailing envelopes for the mailing piece 23--22 through the envelope window. Upon receipt of a new mailing piece 23-22, the addressee will be able to open the mailing envelope, easily grasp and remove card 22 and conveniently use it with a return address which may already be printed on the other side thereof as a reply, for example, without such card 22 or the remaining portion 23 of the new mailing piece 23--22 having been damaged in any Way.

In the further embodiment of Figure 3, a rectangular sheet 30 is provided with a transverse top portion 31 above a transverse line 31a indicated by the dashes in Figure 3. In preparing sheet 30, which is preferably rectangular, margin cutouts 32 are provided along the side edges of top portion 31. A backing member 33 of sheet material like paper and conforming in dimensions to top portion 31 may be aifixed thereto by adhesive along In that way, no uncured adhesive could touch card the opposed edges 34 as indicated which adhesive, however, does not show on the face of the sheet as will be understood by those to whom this invention is disclosed. An address cutout 37 may be made at a suitable location in sheet 30 in the course of the preparation thereof before backing member 33 is attached. A variety of ways may be utilized in applying backing member 33 to the back of top portion 31 to form a pocket tube, open at the ends, between the parallel bond area limits 35. A card 36 may be readily inserted into the pocket to complete the mailing piece. The width of card 36 is not greater than the width of sheet 30 but it extends beyond the width of top portion 31 and backing member 33 into the space left by the margin edge cutouts 32. The card 36 is such that it is smaller in height than the distance between the bond area limit lines 35 so that card 36 may be readily inserted and readily removed. A suitable mailing envelope which generally has a width comparable to the width of sheet 30 will hold card 36 in position so that an address 38 thereon will show through cutout 37 and through any registering transparent window in such mailing envelope during the transmission of the new mailing piece through the mail.

In the still further embodiment of Figure 4, parts thereof corresponding generally in structure and functioning to the embodiment shown in Figures 1 and 2 are provided with the same reference numerals with the addition of a prime factor thereto. Insuch further embodiment of Figure 4, but a single bond area 39 is required to form a pocket tube between edge 40 of area 39 and the transverse fold line edge 18. Further, margin side edge cutouts in the Figure 4 further embodiment are in the form of thumb cutouts 41 on both edges of the mailing piece 23, said cutouts 41 being in registry through the top portion 20 and through the flap portion 19' forming the pocket tube in question. Hence a card 22' in such pocket tube may readily be grasped on both sides thereof either for insertion or removal as the case may be, and, as stated above, the usual mailing envelope will be sufficient to hold card 22 in registry so that an address 25 thereon will show up through window 13' in top portion 20'. The text 24 on the sheet 10' may either be a written message or if desired it may be a pictorial representation on the mailing piece 23'22.

In the double leaf embodiment of my invention which is shown in Figure 5, a rectangular sheet of paper is provided with a vertical fold 42 forming a front leaf 43 and a rear leaf 44. A backing member flap 45 may be provided either as an integral extension folded along a transverse fold line 46 or the flap 45 may be a separate backing member as in the Figure 3 embodiment. Transverse fold line 46 is at the same height when leaves 43 and 44 are together as the transverse top edge 47 of leaf 44. A pocket tube is made between fold line 46 and the top edge 48 of the adhesive bond strip 49 by moving flap 45 into contact with the back of top portion 50 of leaf 43 so that strip 49 makes contact at 51 thereby holding flap 45 against the back of top portion 50. A window or address cutout 52 may be provided in top portion 50 so that when a card 53 is in the pocket tube the address vwill be in registry with window 52 and can be mailed in a mailing envelope with a transparent window in further registry therewith. Side edge margin cutouts 54 in registry in the top portion 50 and in the flap portion 45 enable card 53 to be readily grasped on both sides for insertion in or removal from the pocket tube so provided. The edge of card 53 adjoining a vertical fold line 42 is maintained in place by the fold between the leaves 43 and 44, thereby furnishing an effective, complete and readily fabricated mailing piece device which can be made by automatic machinery without difiiculty. In addition, writing or other textual or pictorial material may be provided not only on leaf 43, but also on the back of flap 45 and leaf 43 and on leaf 44 to the extent that may be desired.

In the further top removal embodiment of Figures 6 and 7 of my invention, a rectangular paper sheet 55 is provided with a top portion 56 and a flap portion 57 above that, a flap fold line 58 enabling flap 57 to be integrally connected to the balance of the sheet 55. Adhesive may be applied in a U-shaped edging manner over the area 59 of flap 57 on the back of sheet 55 as shown in Figure 7. Moreover, transverse fold line 58 may be slit between the inner edges 60 of the adhesive area 59 so that when flap 57 is folded down on line 58 in back of top portion 56, flap 57 will adhere thereto throughout the U-shaped bond area 61 as shown in Figure 6. Top portion 56 may be provided with an address cutout 62 so that when flap 57 is in place, a card 63 may be inserted into the pocket inwardly of the inner edges of the bonded area 61, the top edge of card 63 extending through the slit in the transverse folding edge 58, as shown in Figure 6. In that way, a further embodiment of my new mailing piece invention is provided in which an addressee can get hold of the card 63 upon receipt thereof for retention or return as the purpose of the card 63 intends. In mailing, the top of the inside of the mailing envelope will insure further that any address 64 on card 63 will show through window 62 and through any transparent window in the mailing envelope in the manner mentioned above.

Various changes may be made in details of my new mailing pieces without departing either from the spirit of my invention or the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a mailing piece, in combination, a thin flexible paper sheet for a legible representation, said sheet having a transverse top portion with an address cutout in said top portion, a thin flexible paper backing member extending substantially across the entire width of said top portion and forming a pocket with the back of said top portion of said sheet, the top horizontal edge of said top portion of said sheet and of said backing member being a common fold, the bottom horizontal edges on the back of said top portion being bonded along a relatively thin line to the front of the lower horizontal edge of said backing member, said pocket extending substantially across the entire width of said sheet and substantially the full height of said backing member and top portion of said sheet, a card for legible matter adapted to be slidably enclosed in said pocket, said card having a width substantially equal to the width of said pocket and a height substantially equal to the height of said pocket, the facing sides of said pocket formed by the opposed surfaces of said backing member and of said top portion of said sheet serving as guide surfaces for relative movement of said card therebetween, at least a portion of an edge of said card projecting beyond at least a portion of a corresponding edge of said top portion for ready grasping and withdrawal of said card from said pocket.

2. In a mailing piece, in combination, a thin flexible paper sheet to receive legible matter, said sheet having a transverse upper portion with an address cutout in said upper portion having a continuous edge, thetop of said upper portion forming a transverse flap extending substantially across the entire width of said upper portion integrally with the remainder of said upper portion, said flap being folded horizontally to provide a backing member across said remainder of said upper portion to form a transversely extending tube pocket between the back surface of said remainder of said upper portion and the front surface extending from said flap, the top edge of said remainder of said upper portion and of said backing member being a common fold, transversely extending adhesive means along the bottom edge of said flap to close the bottom edge of said pocket, said pocket extending substantially across the entire width of said sheet and substantially in full height of the remainder of said upper portion, and a thin card for legible matter adapted to be slidably enclosed in said pocket, said card having a width substantially greater than the width of said pocket to said cutout from at least the nearer side edge of said sheet, said card further having a height substantially equal to the height of said pocket, the facing surfaces of said remainder of said upper portion and of said flap inv said pocket between said fold and said adhesive means forming guide surfaces for the transverse relative movement of said card therebetween, said pocket being open at both ends thereof.

'3. A mailing piece as set forth in claim 2, having a side edge cutout in registry in said backing member and said remainder of said upper portion for at least a portion of an edge of said card for ready grasping and withdrawal of said card from said pocket.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

